The Shape-Shifting Atom That Redefines Nuclear Physics

Scientists have reached a significant milestone in nuclear physics with the direct observation of three distinct deformations in the atomic nucleus of lead-190 (190Pb). These deformations correspond to three unique shapes: spherical, oblate (resembling a flattened sphere, like a tomato), and prolate (elongated, like a watermelon), coexisting near the nucleus’s ground state. Published in Communications [...]